Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-08-02
HOW THREAD rs MADE.



what Cotton Goes Through before II
Reaches the Needle.
Few people ever stop to think OF the
twistings and turnings and the various
processes that cotton fiber goes through
aftcrit Is taken from the pod before 1t
is wound up on spool and ready for
the housewives needle The whole
story is told. however, in small space
in one OF the cases in the hall in the
National Museum given up to an exhi-
bit;on 81 textile fabrics This is one
of the many object lessons in the mu-
scum. which, combined, are intended
to tell the story of a man as he exists
on the earth First Is shown spcci-
men Of cotton In the pod Just rs 1t is
picked. without having the seeds re-
moved. Next Is shown specimen OF
the same cotton after it has been
ginncd aud the black seeds have been
removed.
The Sea Island cotton is used
for thread on account Of the
length Of the fiber. a sample Of the
sacking In which tho cotton il balcd ID
also shown. Then the cotton is sup
posed 10 have been baled and shipped
10 the thread factory. Here the iiri
thing thar is done with tho cotton is TO
subject 1t To the apicker" process. by
which the cotton from several bales is
mixed TO securo uniformity. During
the picker process much waste In tie
form Of dust, dirt ss.a.ss! short fibers are
separated from tho good ibers by the
picker. Next tlie "picked' cotton Is
wound on a machine IN sheets or laps
into roll, The next process illus.
trlted by practical exhibit is the
cariing by which the sheets Of cotton
are eoinbed Or run ont infa long paral-
lei iIberS Tie cotton Is next seen
drawn through 4 trnmpet-shaped open
ing. which condcnscs it into n single
strand or .'sliver.s Then eight snch
slivers are run together into one, six Of
the strands thus produced are drawn in
70 one. and again six Of the strands from
the last drawing ARE combined into
one. Then comes the sfubbing or fast
''roying" process. which consists OF
winding the strand and bobbin. Two
strands ara twisted and again wound
on y bobbin. After number Of other
twistings aud windings. during which
the strand Il gradually reduced in size,
until II begins % assume q thread-liks
appearance. two strands of this fine
"royipg" are run together and twisted,
under considerable tension, on a bob
bin that makes seven thousand revoln-
tons minute. Two Of the cords thus
prodncod Is transferred thence to AT
other spool. and then three threads OF
two cords each are twisted together,
forming six-cord thread.
Ono who has followed the process
secs the cotton gradually transformed
from il wide hand OF sheet Of loose cot
ton to compact thread that will pass
through tho eye Of n needle. The six
cord thread Is ut last taken from bob
bin and rcclcd into a skein. in which
form II Is bleached or dyed. Then ii
II wound baek into the skein upon a
big spool. from which IL Is supplied to
little white birch spools from which II
is wound in regular courses. and is
then ready for the market. The ma
chine that regulates the last winding
measures the number OF yards wound
on each spool. The spools are made
of various sizes 10 hold from two hun
dred 10 twelve thousand yards of
thread. The labels that decorate the
ends of the spoois when they are sold
arc last put on. They are cut and
pasted on by machinery with great
rapidity. - Washington Star.